1. Field of Application
This invention relates generally to a device for monitoring a rotating shaft, and more particularly to a rotating shaft monitoring device to detect the speed, direction of rotation, position or revolution count of a shaft connected to a conveyor pulley or idler roller.
2. Description of Prior Art
There are a number of monitoring devices for detecting speed, direction, position or revolution count of rotating shafts. Unfortunately, the presently available monitoring devices are high in cost and require replacement or modification of existing equipment before the monitoring devices can be installed on the rotating shaft. Although at least one manufacturer has devised a way to minimize the amount of modification required to install its monitoring devices onto a shaft, its monitoring devices require special couplings between the existing shaft and the monitoring device. Often these couplings do not create a strong enough joint between the shaft and monitoring device in order to withstand impact to the monitoring device. Thus the monitoring device can be knocked off or bumped resulting in inaccurate readings of the rotating shaft or no readings at all.
Therefore a monitoring device is needed that is compact, easy to install, and that does not require the replacement or modification of existing equipment, or the need for a special coupling in order to connect the rotating shaft to the monitoring device. Additionally, the interface between the rotating shaft and the monitoring device should be strong and able to withstand impact while still maintaining accurate readings.